Monhegan Island, Maine

Monhegan is a stunningly beautiful island
... 11 miles off the coast of Maine, shaped like a whale, with 150 foot headlands
on the north side sloping down to low coves on the southern end. There are 17 miles
of hiking trails through the wilds of the square mile of Monhegan, with hundreds of
species of wildflowers and seabirds. Monhegan Island is also an art colony (Jaime Wyeth's
studio was here for many years),
with as many as 20 studios open during the peak summer months.
Artistic whimsy abounds all over the
island.

Monhegan's history goes back over 400 years. A lighthouse was first built here in
1824. The current 47 foot tower
of unpainted granite blocks dates from 1850, and
sits atop the center of the small island, 178 feet above the water. A second-order fresnel originally shone
from the lantern, replaced in 1959 with a revolving DCB-36 beacon. The
keeper's house is currently a museum, open only in summer.

Monhegan can be reached by an hour ferry ride from Port Clyde (year round) or
from New Market and Boothbay Harbor (summer). There are several inns on the island,
including the
romantic Island Inn that dates from the 1800's and features many
rooms with a view. There's even a cozy little
library on Monhegan.